Getting a Handle on Shoulder, Elbow, & Wrist Pain
Patient Success Spotlight “Before my shoulder surgery, I had great difficulty doing small tasks such as washing my hair. I even contemplated cutting it to make it easier. I’m so glad I didn’t! Thanks to King Physical Therapy, I can wash my hair with ease! After my surgery, I truly had concerns that I would never get back to the normal shoulder movement I remembered before the injury (It didn’t help listening to other horror stories from friends and acquaintances). But again, thanks to KPT, I’m almost back to normal! - Kirsten A. TREATING SHOULDER, ELBOW AND WRIST PAIN Addressing the pain early on is the best way to prevent an issue from becoming chronic. Turning to medication and braces for pain management is not a long-term solution and will only push off the inevitable truth — that you need to find a solution for the problem that is causing you pain. IT’S TIME TO SHAPE UP! Physical therapy is the ideal tool for support in this regard. Working with a physical therapist will provide you with an opportunity to understand what movements may be causing your discomfort. Physical therapy can help you strengthen the surrounding muscles while improving range of motion, which together will likely alleviate some of the pain associated with your injury. Don’t assume that pain in your shoulder, elbows or wrists will go away on its own. It is more common for the pain to worsen and compensating for the pain by overusing the opposite arm can cause further injury to develop. For support with learning how to manage the pain, and to learn exercises and techniques that can help you overcome the injury and restore proper strength and functionality to your shoulders, elbows and wrists, contact your physical therapist. For more information about how we can help you overcome your shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain. call King Physical Therapy at 304.262.8161!
Shoulder, elbow and wrist injuries are common in the workplace due to injury and overuse. Some issues that can lead to pain in the upper extremities include: • Issues with poor posture • Athletic injuries
• Muscle sprain
• Carpal tunnel syndrome, which can develop from overuse of the wrist and regular, repetitive motions, such as typing
• Muscle strain
• Dislocation or hyperextension of the joints
• Heavy lifting
It is important to contact your physical therapist when you recognize an injury has developed. Your physical therapist can help you recover from your injury. In addition, your physical therapist can help you determine the cause of the injury and ways to prevent the injury in the future. One of the biggest concerns regarding pain in the shoulder, elbow and wrist is that it is difficult to impossible to actually allow these parts of the body time to rest. Every movement and action you make require these body parts — and when the pain develops in both arms, as it often does, treating the pain becomes even more complicated. It is impossible to care for your basic needs without involving your shoulder or wrist, let alone get through a day at the office. This is why so many issues regarding pain in the shoulder, elbows and wrists typically become chronic. Since it is difficult to allow these body parts time to properly rest, they continue being overused and the pain can actually worsen.
Exercise Essentials
SHOULDER D2 PATTERN Stand with good posture with your arm across your body, your hand rotated in, thumb pointed down. Bring your arm up and across your body diagonally. As you do, rotate your hand outward. Finish with your hand above your head and out to the side. Repeat 6-10 times for both sides.
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